Open enrollment for Medicare has begun and will run until December 7, 2021!
The Medicare open enrollment period is your opportunity to re-evaluate your current Medicare health and prescription drug plans and make any changes that may better fit your needs for the coming year.
If you’re happy with your coverage, you don’t need to take any action; your existing plan will continue uninterrupted in 2022.
Celebraciones de la Gente, the annual Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration, returned to the Museum of Northern Arizona on Oct. 23-24 with an appreciative crowd who strolled around the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard to view family ofrendas / altars, view workshops on creating ofrendas, a presentation honoring the more than 400 people who died due to COVID-19 in Coconino County, dance performances by Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff and music by Mariachi Tradición de México from Tucson and Los Alambrados Flagstaff.
The 18th annual event, which was hosted by the Museum of Northern Arizona, in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, was presented virtually in 2020 due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton in the West
Oct. 30, 1 pm
Attend in person at MNA, or watch on Facebook
Alan Peterson, MNA’s Fine Art Curator, will discuss Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton’s early life and education in Philadelphia, her first trips to the West as a young artist, how she met Harold Colton, their honeymoon trip, and their subsequent trips to Flagstaff before moving here in 1926.
Friday, October 29
Awards Night and Party! 5-8pm
Held at Sedona Arts Center’s Special Exhibition Gallery and Theatre Studio in the Historic Art Barn. Fine wine, fine hors d’oeuvres and fine art. This is the big event! Artist’s awards are presented throughout the evening recognizing the best work created during the week including Best of Show and merit awards by Festival Judge Michele Usibelli, Artist’s Choice Award, Collectors Choice by ballot and Sedona Arts Center Awards.
In this Views from NAU, Karen Schairer, associate professor in the Department of Global Languages and Culture, writes about how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is first and foremost a celebration and a reminder that life and death are both part of the same experience. Neither is to be feared and both are to be celebrated with joy and laughter, music and dancing and a heartfelt appreciation of family and all who came before us.
On Monday, November 1, Coconino County Health and Human services will be holding two COVID-19 and flu vaccine events in the community. Similar to previous events, no registration is required ahead of time.
Tusayan (behind the IMAX Theater) from 12:00 p.m.-2 p.m. (flyer here)
Grand Canyon Recreation Center Ramada from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (full flyer here)
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (www.coconinokids.org) is working hard to better understand root causes of trauma and promoting tools for resiliency. We know that social connection is a key protective factor for both youth and families.
During Covid, we began a virtual youth open mic. The purpose is to provide a safe space for youth to express themselves through music, art, poetry, theater, dance, photography, or cultural sharing. The event takes place the first Sunday of each month at 4pm. The next event is scheduled for Sunday November 7th.
We realize many of our community’s youth may be “Zoomed out”. So, we are also looking for youth voice to brainstorm suggestions for community-based youth connection opportunities. We would appreciate you asking the youth you serve, “What youth events would you like to see in your community?” We are also available to speak with your youth group to facilitate that conversation.
The land of Coconino County is rich in geological stories and steeped in a sacred importance to all of us who live here. Coconino Community College is located in the middle of the land’s magnificence. More than 20 percent of our students at the college are Native American, and because CCC is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, the perspective of our Native American students is vitally important to our identity. To that end, when students from the college’s Indigenous Student Association developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement, the college community acted universally to make it a part of CCC’s culture.
Fires in the West have been getting more severe and threatening more communities in the last 30 years. A team, including ecologists and economists from NAU, received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how communities can use fuel treatments to keep themselves safe and preserve their relationship to the forests they love.
For the first time, fire managers from nine agencies and partners are gathering in northern Arizona to learn about and train in prescribed fire through a formal training exchange (TREX). Hosted by the Flagstaff Fire Department and Summit Fire and Medical District and sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Fire Learning Network, this Prescribed Fire Training Exchange is a unique opportunity for fire personnel from across the county to learn about prescribed fire, land management, the wildland urban interface, smoke management, and much more.
“This Prescribed Fire Training Exchange is designed to provide experiential training that builds local capacity for fire management while offering professional fire practitioners a more holistic perspective” said Neil Chapman, Wildland Forest Health Supervisor with the Flagstaff Fire Department.
Mariachi music and Folklorico dancing, colorful and elaborate ofrendas (altars), insightful heritage programs, and Day of the Dead inspired crafts for the kids. 10 a.m.
Vaccine Events in Tusayan and Grand Canyon
On Monday, November 1, Coconino County Health and Human services will be holding two COVID-19 and flu vaccine events in the community. Similar to previous events, no registration is required ahead of time.
Tusayan (behind the IMAX Theater) from 12:00 p.m.-2 p.m.
Grand Canyon Recreation Center Ramada from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Flyers will be distributed on these events once guidance from the CDC on booster doses is finalized (hopefully by early next week).
The effects of domestic violence are far-reaching; not only for the partners involved but also for the children who have witnessed it. Witnessing violence by seeing, hearing, or observing the aftermath can leave children feeling anxious, fearful or angry. In some cases, when domestic violence occurs in the home and the children are unsafe, the children must be removed from their homes and placed into the foster care system until it is safe to return.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth has created a series of no cost webinars for professionals, parents and youth, to provide them skills that are needed now more than ever.
Our hour-long webinar on Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs explores the roadmap to creating change at the community and system level by using the findings of both leadership research and today’s thought leaders. One participant said:
“This training was truly amazing and can be used no matter your walk in life … I hope that everyone and anyone takes advantage of this presentation. It really can make a difference.”
(*Recommended prerequisite for Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs webinar in particular, but also for other trainings, is Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Hope in Resiliency)
Sedona Arts Center invites you along to be inspired and experience master artists painting in the Shangri-La of the Southwest! Sedona is a sublime and stunningly beautiful environment steeped in art history. Sedona Arts Center dates back 63 years to the founding of Sedona’s identity as an ‘art colony.’ Our community’s iconic and wonderfully creative event—Sedona Plein Air Festival—is a week-long celebration of extraordinary landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events from October 23 through 30!
My name is Katie Mommaerts and I am a licensed clinical social worker and fourth year Interdisciplinary Health doctoral candidate at Northern Arizona University completing my dissertation. I am conducting research to determine the relationship between self-reported symptoms of anxiety and self-esteem from the perspectives of female Mexican-American adolescents (ages 14-17) and mental health therapists.
I am inquire about your interest in participating in this study and/or referring someone who may be interested. I attached the flyers (one for adolescent participants and one for mental health therapist participants) that can be distributed.
From Make it Monday and Flannels and Flapjacks to the carnival, parade and winning football game Saturday, relive the fun and excitement of NAU’s 2021 Homecoming Week.
In the 8th edition of our Consular Newsletter on Economic and Tourism Affairs, we celebrate
Mexico’s fight for independence and its exciting future as the 2021 Hispanic
Heritage Month ends on Oct. 15.
In #ChooseMexico, we learn what we
already knew in our hearts: Everyone loves Mexican food. We also see a bright
future, as Hispanic buying power continues to increase and more and more of our
young people are getting college degrees. In addition, we learn that there has been an increase
in the number of both large and small Mexican companies expanding into Arizona, thanks to the welcoming business environment. In this newsletter, you also will meet three successful Mexican citizens working in Arizona––and our Faces of Mexico in Arizona webinar (in Spanish) will introduce you to a few more.
F3 wants to make you aware of the 3.5% Project that has just been launched locally by Flagstaff College. Through a combination of reading a novel that focuses on climate change, in-person and virtual discussions with a small group of fellow participants, and renowned guest presenters, the 3.5% Project goal is to create a “small group of thoughtful, committed individuals” who, working together, make big changes.
What if “the answer to climate change is organizing,” as Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org, recently said? And what if what we need is only 3.5% of the public actively engaged in making a change? Flagstaff College is launching the Flagstaff 3.5% Project because of the belief that both of these things are true.
With nearly 100 free and exciting events this year in the Festival of Science, it can be hard to make it to all of the ones you want to go to! But, don’t let this stop you from engaging in the Flagstaff science community all year round, and catching up on the events you missed.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science has a YouTube Channel!
Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces celebrates the in-person return of Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead when the 18th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente is presented at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 and 24.
Celebrate the history and culture of Mexican, Mexican American and Latin@ communities in Northern Arizona at this annual fall event, which will include music, dance, food and heartfelt remembrances.
In partnership with Flagstaff’s Nuestras Raíces, the museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard will be transformed into a beautiful lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and lovely arrange ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.
Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, will be honored during the game
Northern Arizona University is excited to celebrate its Hispanic Heritage Game as Lumberjack Football takes on Southern Utah.
When: October 16th, 2021
Game Time: 1 P.M.
Where: Walkup Skydome
During the game, NAU will honor the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) for its 20 years of service to the local community. Stop by the CHAC tent for more information on the organization during the tailgate party from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, welcome to Week 4!! Please share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
Events include: CHAC NAU Tailgate Event, 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16.
Federal Workforce Vaccination for NPS Employees
As a reminder, November 22 is the deadline for federal employees to be fully vaccinated.
To meet the November 22 deadline, NPS employees must receive their first dose by October 11 if getting the Moderna vaccine or October 18 if getting the Pfizer vaccine
November 8 is the deadline for the second dose of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and for receiving the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine
By November 22, all federal employees must be fully vaccinated or actively working with their supervisor and HR on a reasonable accommodation request. More information can be found on the vaccine FAQ page on the Safer Federal Workforce website.
The age-old question of ‘are we alone?’ is a compelling one, and third-year doctoral student Amber Young is committed to finding an answer. She is looking for life on other planets, and now NASA is helping her out. The Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences student recently recieved a grant to analyze chemical components and specific biosignatures from exoplanets that could show potential signs of life. As part of the grant, she will work with NASA team members on the LUVOIR Mission to build computer modeling tools that will allow her to examine which observational scenarios are ideal for detecting and interpreting biosignatures.
An ongoing pandemic. Wildfires. Flooding.
In reflecting on the past year, United Way of Northern Arizona President & CEO Carol Dykes probably summed it up best when she said, “Some days it just felt like we couldn’t catch a break.”
But working together, we ensured that our communities rallied. Thanks to generous people like you who donated to the United Way, funds were available to ensure that people were able to stay in their homes, feed their children and keep the lights on.
The Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library has announced that it is resuming technology tutoring and resume help services this week after a long pandemic hiatus.
… Several Native teachings have deeply impacted my life and brought me peace. First, simply knowing we all have a purpose. Our ancestors lived through hardships so we could come to be. Therefore, what we do in this life should honor our ancestors and the next seven generations. Also, to “walk in beauty” by being grounded and intentional with our thoughts, words, and actions. Walking in beauty includes honoring our responsibility to be stewards of the land. And the teaching that most profoundly resonates with my purpose is quite simply we all are connected (people, animals, and plants). It gives me hope to know we are all K’e, a community of extended family.
In this edition…
Message from Sup. Vasquez
Redistricting Public Input Wanted
Housing Solutions Flood Assistance
Area Plan Open House
And more!
Creative Flagstaff is happy to announce that Arizona Pitch Night winner Michelle Meyer has installed her winner piece, Retro Maven, in downtown Flagstaff! You can find Retro Maven at 2 S Beaver St #100. A huge thank you to Sunshine Rescue Mission for hosting Retro Maven in front of their Thrift for Goodness Sake store.
Monday, Oct. 11, was National Coming Out Day, and IT project manager Grace Huang Ditsworth (they/them) shares what coming out has meant to them. Ditsworth said it is not a singular moment; rather, coming out is a process of wayfinding as they align themself with who they are and directs others to find and recognize them.
View this email in your browser October 11th, 2021 Come connect with your community Featured Resource Adult & All-Ages Events Book Clubs Youth Events To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, please call 928-213-2331 (Downtown Library) or…
As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, welcome to Week 4!! Please share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
Events include: “Halloween vs. Día de los Muertos” at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 and “Story Time” at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools is pleased to announce that the Coconino County Education Service Agency was selected to receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant for $259,128.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget, is pleased to announce that the Coconino County Education Service Agency was selected to receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant for $259,128 through the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP).
Coconino County Parks & Recreation and The Literacy Center are pleased to unveil the Storybook Path at Sawmill County Park.
The path features the book Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by local author Monica Brown. The book’s pages are displayed on pedestals at intervals along the path for visitors of all ages to read and enjoy in both English and Spanish. Visitors also have the option to listen to the audio book in both languages by scanning a QR code on their smartphone.
Indigenous People’s Day, October 11
This year we recognize Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, October 11. At Grand Canyon, park leadership continues to work on the Indian Affairs Strategy with positive feedback coming to us from our NPS colleagues in the Intermountain Region and Washington. The draft strategy is gaining traction to the point where the work we are doing may be shared at the Tribal Nations Summit being planned for the White House in November.
There will be virtual events held in recognition of Indigenous People’s day across the nation, and the city of Flagstaff is hosting an event on Monday, October 11 through a virtual platform. The event, titled Honoring the Four Sacred Elements of Life: Mother Earth, Father Sky, Grandparents Water and Fire, will be available on-line from 8:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Registration can be made in advance for this event is free and can be made by following this link. NPS Fire Archaeologist, Jason Nez, will be speaking at this event about Diné cultural relationships to Fire between 3:15-4:30 p.m.
After celebrating virtually last year, the NAU community is invited to come together in person to celebrate the university’s 122 years of academic excellence and show off their Lumberjack pride during this year’s Homecoming week beginning Monday, Oct. 11. Events include Make it Monday, Traditions Day pep rally, bonfire and chili cook-off, a carnival sponsored by ASNAU, the Homecoming Parade and more.
With the recent kickoff of our Annual Community Fundraising campaign, we’re imagining what’s possible when we ensure that our children are ready to learn. That’s the purpose of programs like KinderCamp™ – making sure our students are ready academically, emotionally and socially for that all important first day of school.
Don’t take our word for it. We think Riley and her Mom do a great job explaining what KinderCamp has meant to them in the video above.
Thanks to generous people like you, United Way of Northern Arizona and our partners can provide KinderCamp and other early education program at no cost to families.
Will you join us as a supporter of this year’s campaign, and Step Up for Our Community with a donation today?
Every donation makes a huge difference in our community and we sincerely THANK YOU for your support.
Sedona Arts Center is seeking artists for the Souls of Forgotten Objects exhibit to take place December 3–23, 2021 in the Special Exhibits Gallery of the Arts Center.
Coconino County Parks & Recreation and The Literacy Center are pleased to unveil the Storybook Path at Sawmill County Park.
The path features the book Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by local author Monica Brown. The book’s pages are displayed on pedestals at intervals along the path for visitors of all ages to read and enjoy in both English and Spanish.
Visitors also have the option to listen to the audio book in both languages by scanning a QR code on their smartphone.
Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Grand Canyon Protection Act Advocacy
NOAA Southwest Drought Forum
Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona Groundbreaking
4FRI Update
County Supervisors Association Legislative Summit
COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines
COVID Information Line and Testing Site
Museum Flood Information Line and Emergency Notifications
Museum Flood Crisis Response Fund
Flood Insurance Information
Contact Us
Celebrate Sedona was specifically designed for the Arts Center be more connected locally. We are so excited about bringing more people to our campus – those who would not typically attend one or our events, classes or programs. We want to introduce what we do to our entire community in a casual, engaging way that is all about fun. So local musicians, food, wine and beer, artist demos, and more, will be available. Some of our events will be themed to whatever is going on in the community, our programming, or tied to an upcoming holiday. This event is free and open to everyone – so please come take a look. We would love to have you!
Ralph Padilla thought it was a regular quarterly meeting for Facilities Services. But there was only one item on the agenda: announcing Padilla as this year’s Homecoming dedicatee. Every year, student organizations vote for one member of NAU’s faculty and staff for this honor; that person represents NAU’s values and mission. For Padilla, who marks his 33rd year as a Lumberjack, the news was a wonderful surprise.
Fabric and stitches. Rough and soft surface. Colors, seen, from muted to vivid – yellow, blue, red, purple and green.
With titles like “Battlefield” and “Suffragist,” the work punches the gut as reminder of women’s experiences. It is beautiful, it is useful, and it is art.
Flagstaff artist Darcy Falk is featured in the Fall Exhibit at the Comet Gallery at Coconino Community College. Her textile art brings to bear a medium of expression that is typically associated with the functional – like clothes or quilts.
But these are not traditional quilts.
“Textiles are really just the medium, but that doesn’t define the work,” Falk said. “It’s like painting, or working with clay. You can make it what you want.”
Thanks to everyone who joined us yesterday on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter for the virtual launch of the 2021-2022 United Way of Northern Arizona Annual Campaign.
A big thank you as well to all the people who participated in our video, sharing their stories about how programs funded by UWNA have impacted their lives.
In case you missed it, you can view the video here:
Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.
Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities
Good morning, and Happy Manufacturing Day, the kickoff to a month-long nationwide celebration of this sector, which has grown dramatically in northern Arizona over the past few years.
In fact, manufacturing is now one of the five top business clusters in our region (the others are health care/social services, food service/accommodations, education and retail.) Manufacturing pulled us through the pandemic as one of the few industries that grew during the past 18 months. This past year alone, our office has fielded more than 35 different inquiries about establishing manufacturing operations in northern Arizona.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget, would like to announce that interviews will be scheduled for the Governing School Board Member open seat at Fredonia Moccasin Unified School District #6.
An advisory committee will be assembled consisting of a district resident, district educator, district parent, and two current board members to conduct interviews and advise Superintendent Mango-Paget on the appointment.
September marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a special time where we celebrate the contributions of our culture and examine the sometimes complex identities that Hispanic and Latinx communities can embody. We explored what some of these challenges can be in our blog, where we dive into the definition of “Hispanic” and “Latinx,” and seek to share a broad understanding of the role colonization has played in our history. We’re continuing to highlight the importance of Hispanic and Latinx voice and visibility in public lands and conservation decision-making, and are proud to have been featured in the Nevada Wild Podcast, where HECHO Program Manager Bianca McGrath-Martinez shared our mission with listeners — tune in here. Make sure that you are following our Facebook page to also see our staff spotlighted and speak on what they appreciate about their culture!
Nearly one in five individuals in the U.S. identifies as having a disability, and it is important to recognize the experiences of those people. Throughout the month of October, NAU is celebrating Disability Pride and Heritage Month. NAU’s Commission on Disability Access and Design will host events that focus on inclusivity like the accessibility scavenger hunt and sitting volleyball, along with accessibility design workshops and others, all of which are free and open to the public.
Flagstaff Star Party, Buffalo Park. Meet the Stars! Flagstaff shares its world-famous starry skies with the world. 6 p.m.; free.
A COVID and flu shot vaccination event will be held next Monday, October 4th from 3-5 p.m. at the Grand Canyon Rec Center Ramada. If there is inclement weather, the event will be held inside the Rec Center in the Piano Room. Please bring your vaccination card if you are seeking a second or third dose of the COVID vaccine. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer.
A follow-up vaccination event will be held on Monday, November 1, for those individuals getting their first shot at the October vaccination event who need a second shot for full vaccination. The November 1 vaccination event will also take place from 3-5 p.m. at the Rec Center.
There are no updates on a North Rim vaccination event at this time.
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) officials have confirmed several skunks found in the Greenlaw and Coconino Estates areas of Flagstaff have tested positive for rabies. One human exposure has been reported and the individual is receiving Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment.
CCHHS and City of Flagstaff Animal Control urge individuals to use caution to protect against rabies exposure when hiking, camping or in situation where wildlife may be present. The following precautions are recommended to protect against rabies:
Avoid wildlife, especially those exhibiting unusual wildlife behaviors which can include; showing no fear of humans, aggressive behavior, staggering and/or acting sickly, and nocturnal mammals active during daytime.
The City of Flagstaff Housing Section is asking for public input on its draft 10-Year Housing Plan. Flagstaff residents can read the draft 10-Year Housing Plan online and can provide feedback by taking the Policy Initiative and Strategy Prioritization Survey. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and feedback will be used to help City staff prioritize housing initiatives and strategies. The public comment period ends on November 5, 2021.
As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, we are inviting you to the Book Club “Clap When You Land” discussion from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29.
Click here or on image below to join.
Please join us, and share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
